Virology Journal最新文献

{"title":"Comparative dynamics of Japanese encephalitis virus adaptation in porcine macrophages and insect cells.","authors":"Andrea Marti, Alexander Nater, Jenny Pego Magalhaes, Noelle Donzé, Markus Gerber, Lea Almeida, Matthias Liniger, Sandra Chenaux, Nicolas Ruggli, Fadi G Alnaji, Marco Vignuzzi, Obdulio Garcia-Nicolas, Artur Summerfield","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03231-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03231-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a zoonotic mosquito-borne Orthoflavivirus that circulates primarily in birds and pigs. Previous observations of vector-free transmission between pigs indicates the possibility of single-host cycling in swine. Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the evolutionary pressure of single host cycling using a relevant primary cell culture model.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To investigate whether such single-host cycles affect viral infectivity, fitness and genomic adaptations, two strains and a reverse genetic cDNA-derived clone of JEV were serially passaged 12 times in primary porcine monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs), in Aedes albopictus-derived C6/36 cells, and alternately between both cell types. Next-generation sequencing analysis was used to identify selected single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and haplotypes. Phenotype-to-genotype connections were confirmed using reverse genetics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>For all viruses, serial passaging in MDMs - but not in C6/36 cells - led to a rapid increase in relative infectivity toward MDMs, accompanied by reduced plaque sizes in porcine endothelial cells. In contrast to C6/36 cells, MDM imposed a strong selective pressure, rapidly favoring selection of many SNVs and viral haplotypes. In addition, we identified a dominant selection of mutants with glutamic acid to lysine substitutions at positions 49 or 138 in the E protein, which explained the small plaque phenotype and caused viral sensitivity to heparin-mediated inhibition of attachment, indicating enhanced virus binding to glycosaminoglycans (GAG). The E138K mutant also explained the increased relative infectivity for MDM.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This work demonstrates a high evolutionary pressure on JEV in MDM causing rapid selections of minor haplotypes. Furthermore, the efficient selection of E49K and E138K SNV, which were responsible for the phenotype, are likely caused by a selective pressure for GAG binding, observed in vitro with other mammalian cells.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13573486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148340142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HPV epidemiologic study in Bengbu, China, involving 123,808 women, 2014-2023.","authors":"Xiaowen Hu, Manman Zhu, Liqun Wang, Kang Yang, Tao Xu, Yu He","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03228-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03228-9","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Cervical cancer is largely caused by persistent high-risk human papillomavirus infection, and due to the wide regional variations in HPV type distribution, the long-term epidemiological characterization of HPV infection in China has not yet been sufficiently studied. Cervical cancer screening and the creation of HPV vaccination programs in a given area are significantly influenced by the epidemiological features of HPV infection in that area. In order to provide an epidemiological foundation for the development of an early screening and prevention strategy for cervical cancer, we examined the epidemiological features of HPV infection in a community in the northern part of Anhui Province, China, in this research.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This study examined 123,808 cervical exfoliated cell samples that were taken from female patients at Bengbu Medical University's First Affiliated Hospital between January 2013 and December 2023. An HPV genotyping kit was used for HPV-DNA testing. Age, year, and numerous patterns of HPV infection were taken into consideration when analyzing the prevalence of HPV infection. Differences in prevalence between years and age categories were compared using the χ2 test. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of age, calendar year, and their interaction with the risk of infection by different HPV types, with adjustment for potential confounding factors.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The detection rate of high-risk types (HR-HPV) was 14.24% (17,630/123,808), while the overall prevalence of HPV infection for the 28 HPV genotypes was 17.62% (21,674/123,808). The age-specificity of HPV infection displayed a bimodal distribution with two distinct peaks: 17.39% of people under 25 had an infection, while 21.14% of people between the ages of 60 and 64 had an infection. According to annual distribution statistics, the overall prevalence of HPV infection was low in 2014 and 2015, rapidly increased to 24.19% (2573/10637) in 2016, peaked at 27.04% (2238/8278) in 2017, then decreased annually to a low of 13.44% (2178/16207) in 2019, and remained relatively stable until 2023, when it increased once more to 17.62% (2545/11443). The top five HR-HPV prevalence rates, according to the study of genotype-specific statistics, were HPV-16 (4.01%, 4968/123808), -52 (2.95%, 3651/123808), -58 (2.12%, 2629/123808), -56 (1.05%, 1298/123808), and 51(0.98%,1216/123808). The most prevalent form of infection among the positive cases was HPV, with a single infection rate of 72.85% (12844/17630). Age was positively associated with infection risk for HPV16, HPV31, HPV33, HPV35, HPV52, HPV56, HPV58, and HPV68 (OR = 1.12-1.26). Infection risks for the majority of HPV types declined significantly over time (OR = 0.57-0.82). Significant age-by-year interaction effects were observed for 10 types, indicating heterogeneity in temporal trends across age groups.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13621593/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148333191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"S-palmitoylation of the v-ATPase subunit RNAseK is necessary for Zika virus infection.","authors":"Santiago Leiva, Patricia Recordon-Pinson, Lucile Fischer, Marie-Line Andreola, Emmanuelle Thinon","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03216-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03216-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>S-palmitoylation is a reversible and dynamic lipid post-translational modification that regulates protein localisation, stability, and function. During viral infections, S-palmitoylation can modulate viral replication by directly modifying viral proteins or by altering host proteins involved in the viral life cycle and immune responses. In this study, we investigated the role of S-palmitoylation of Ribonuclease Kappa (RNAseK) during infection with Zika virus (ZIKV), a member of the flavivirus family. RNAseK is an 11 kDa transmembrane protein recently identified as a component of the vacuolar ATPase complex and required for efficient infection by flaviviruses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used site-directed mutagenesis, metabolic labelling with alkyne-tagged palmitate, and the Acyl-PEG Exchange (APE) assay to identify S-palmitoylation sites on RNAseK. A549 cells stably expressing wild-type or S-palmitoylation-deficient RNAseK mutants were infected with ZIKV. Viral replication was assessed by flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, and TCID₅₀ assays. Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate the role of S-palmitoylation in protein localisation. Cycloheximide chase and proteasome inhibition assays were used to assess protein stability, while lysosomal acidification assays were used to assess lysosomal pH changes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>RNAseK was found to be S-palmitoylated on four cysteine residues (Cys6, Cys7, Cys14, and Cys85). Substitution of these residues with alanine abolished protein S-palmitoylation. Cells stably expressing the S-palmitoylation-deficient RNAseK mutant exhibited decreased ZIKV replication and reduced production of infectious viral particles compared to wild-type RNAseK-expressing cells. S-palmitoylation was required for RNAseK stability and reduced its proteasomal degradation, but did not affect its cellular localisation. S-palmitoylation of RNAseK also contributed to lysosomal acidification, a process important for ZIKV infection.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study identifies RNAseK S-palmitoylation as a determinant of protein stability and efficient ZIKV infection in human cells. More broadly, it highlights the importance of lipid post-translational modifications in host-pathogen interactions and suggests that targeting RNAseK S-palmitoylation may represent a potential antiviral strategy against ZIKV.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13632186/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148340242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"oHSV-1-modulated m⁶A methylation reprogramming through ALKBH5-mediated suppression of CARM1 induced apoptosis in glioblastoma.","authors":"Xiaoyang Qin, Yan Jia, Peiwen Wang, Hongwei Yang, Rui Wu, Fusheng Liu, Junwen Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03229-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03229-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Oncolytic virus therapy is a highly promising approach for the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM). The RNA alteration N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is essential in GBM progression; however its specific function in oncolytic virotherapy remains unclear.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We employed a new oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), designated oHSV-1, which we had previously engineered. Mechanistic studies were performed to elucidate the involved pathways.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We demonstrate that oHSV-1 specifically downregulates the m⁶A demethylase ALKBH5, leading to GBM cell death. Mechanistically, ALKBH5 downregulation elevates m⁶A modification on the transcript of the arginine methyltransferase CARM1, which promotes mRNA degradation and reduces protein expression. As CARM1 is a vital regulator of apoptosis, its loss triggers tumor cell apoptosis. Thus, our study identifies the ALKBH5-m⁶A-CARM1 axis as a critical mechanism underlying oHSV-1-induced apoptosis in GBM cells. Moreover, the combination of oHSV-1 and CARM1 inhibitor shows a markedly enhanced effect on suppressing tumor cell proliferation in vitro.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings reveal a novel epigenetic mechanism of oHSV-1-induced apoptosis and support the therapeutic potential of combining oHSV-1 with epigenetic inhibitors for GBM treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13625249/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148319285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of a portable multiplex real-time pcr assay for the detection of monkeypox virus and non-variola orthopoxviruses.","authors":"Shanshan Li, Nabojeet Das, Natalie Miller, Ariel Caudle, Kimberly Wilkins, Theodora Khan, Stefan Pfotenhauer, Amy Saunders, Christina L Hutson, Kodumudi S Venkateswaran, William M Nelson, Neeraja Venkateswaran, Panayampalli S Satheshkumar, Michael B Townsend","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03195-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03195-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Monkeypox (mpox) is the most significant orthopoxvirus (OPXV) infection in humans since smallpox eradication. The World Health Organization (WHO) has twice declared public health emergency of international concern due to the expansive spread of clade I and II mpox cases, thus prompting public health scientists to develop rapid and effective diagnostic tools. Clinical presentations of monkeypox can overlap with other vesiculopustular diseases, particularly those caused by Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV), complicating accurate diagnosis in decentralized or resource-limited settings. In this study, we performed an in-lab evaluation of a multiplexed real-time PCR on a portable platform (T-COR 8) for the detection of monkeypox virus (MPXV) and non-variola orthopoxvirus (NVAR-OPXV), and differentiation from varicella-zoster virus (VZV). The T-COR 8 platform required minimal technical skill, limited hands-on time, and generated results for 8 samples within 1 h using crude specimens, without the need for nucleic acid extraction. The performance characteristics were investigated using MPXV and VZV clinical sample remainders and a panel of laboratory cultured viruses. Testing of 116 clinical remainder specimens in the MPXV/NVAR-OPXV assay yielded 100% sensitivity, 97.8% specificity, and 99.1% agreement with prior test results. The MPXV/NVAR-OPXV/VZV assay detected and correctly differentiated MPXV and VZV in a limited set of clinical samples (n = 39). The MPXV assay demonstrates specificity for MPXV, except for Akhmeta virus (AKMV), out of the 20 different species/isolates tested, including 15 orthopoxviruses and 4 non-orthopoxviruses, and VZV. These findings support the T-COR 8 platform as a rapid, accurate, and field-deployable diagnostic tool suitable for expanding monkeypox testing capacity.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13536642/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148303264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Long term circulation of avian paramyxovirus 4 in Australia revealed by historical and contemporary genomes from wild and domestic birds.","authors":"Michelle Wille, Vittoria Stevens, Sebastian V Carmody, Madeline Belfrage, Mia Campling, Suzanne L Lowther, Kelly Davies, James O'Dwyer, Sue Martin, Marcel Klaassen, John S Mackenzie, Matthew J Neave, Jasmina M Luczo","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03211-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03211-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Avian paramyxovirus 4 (APMV4) is detected sporadically in wild birds and poultry, globally. While predominantly detected in waterfowl, the natural reservoir and ecology of APMV4 remains unclear. Herein we report historical and contemporary detections of APMV4 in Australia, and through sequencing demonstrate the likely long-term presence in a diversity of Australian wild bird species. This is evidenced by contemporary Australian genome sequences being more similar to historical Australian genomes rather than contemporary Asian genomes and that these genomes form a single lineage. This suggests that APMV4 has been circulating on the continent for decades. While APMV4 has demonstrable, albeit sporadic, impact on poultry globally, there has never been a report of this virus causing disease in poultry in Australia, suggesting it likely continues to pose a low risk for the poultry industry. As wild birds serve as natural reservoirs for numerous viruses of potential concern to poultry, dedicated surveillance is critical for revealing the risk profile of wild bird viruses, such as APMV4, to poultry.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13474766/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148303300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influenza-associated myocarditis: a case series and structured narrative review.","authors":"Shuroug A Alowais, Afnan Aljuhani, Mohammed D Alotaibi, Abdulrahman Alyousef, Abdulaziz Alanazi, Mohamed Aziz, Lama Alfehaid","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03224-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03224-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Influenza infection is a significant cause of global illness and death. Although mainly a respiratory disease, it can be complicated by extra-pulmonary conditions like myocarditis and myopericarditis. The prevalence and range of influenza-associated myocarditis are not well understood, especially in the Middle East, where case reports are limited.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a retrospective case series of adult patients admitted to King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 2024 to July 2025, with clinically diagnosed influenza-associated myocarditis. Diagnosis was based on the 2024 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway criteria and a positive influenza PCR. Clinical data, diagnostic results, management strategies, and outcomes were collected from electronic medical records. Additionally, we performed a structured literature review of case reports and case series on influenza-associated myocarditis to provide context for our findings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four patients (ages 37-79 years; three women) were identified with clinically diagnosed influenza-associated myocarditis. Presentations ranged from mild myopericarditis with preserved hemodynamics to fulminant myocarditis complicated by cardiogenic shock requiring venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and Impella support. All patients received oseltamivir, and selected patients received colchicine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or immunomodulatory therapy. Three patients recovered with normalization of cardiac function, while one patient with fulminant disease died despite aggressive support. The literature review identified 24 published cases of influenza-associated myocarditis. Most patients were previously healthy young adults (median age 42.5 years), and 79.2% achieved complete recovery. However, 20.8% died, often following rapid progression to cardiogenic shock and multi-organ failure.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Influenza-associated myocarditis is a rare, potentially fatal complication affecting healthy adults. Our findings highlight the importance of early recognition, prompt antiviral therapy, and access to mechanical circulatory support when needed. This case series, among the first from Saudi Arabia, along with a literature review, offers insights into the clinical spectrum, management, and outcomes of this underrecognized condition.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13528080/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148284568","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Large-scale gastroenteritis outbreaks occurring in a university town of Guangzhou city during the global wave of the norovirus in China.","authors":"Yi Tian, Jun Yuan, Wenfeng Cai, Huaping Xie, Yanhui Yang, Lijiao Cao, Shi Cong, Xiangyu Kong, Qing Zhang, Miao Jin","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03129-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03129-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Noroviruses are the primary viral pathogens responsible for epidemic acute gastroenteritis. The novel GII.4 Sydney 2012 variant, which emerged during the 2012/13 winter season, led to significant global outbreaks. This study reports large-scale outbreaks occurring in the university town of Guangzhou, China, from January 8 to April 3, 2013. These outbreaks affected 652 individuals across five universities and one middle school. Of the 386 samples tested, 114 were norovirus-positive, and 19 stool or swab samples were genotyped as the GII.4 Sydney 2012 strain. The genome sequence of the GII.4 Sydney 2012 variant, GZ3135, was determined and compared with those of earlier GII.4 variants. This comparison revealed residue substitutions at specific sites, including the HBGA binding pocket and putative antigenic epitopes. The investigation outcomes showed that GII.4 Sydney variant infected individuals with both secretor and nonsecretor phenotypes. This finding was consistent with the HBGA binding results that the recombinant P protein of the GII.4 Sydney variant bound to saliva samples of nonsecretors, as well as the Lewis x and Lewis a oligosaccharides. Taken together, our data suggested that the GII.4 Sydney 2012 variant gained new HBGA binding ability and antigenic features which may contribute to its widespread epidemics.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":"23 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13281490/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148279064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HBsAg glycan isomer predicts on-treatment HBsAg decline in low-HBsAg chronic hepatitis B on nucleos(t)ide therapy.","authors":"Daisuke Yokoyama, Goki Suda, Masatsugu Ohara, Takatsugu Tanaka, Shoichi Kitano, Osamu Maehara, Ruixin Deng, Qingjie Fu, Zijian Yang, Naohiro Yasuura, Akimitsu Meno, Risako Kohya, Takashi Kitagataya, Naoki Kawagishi, Masato Nakai, Takuya Sho, Shunsuke Ohnishi, Naoya Sakamoto","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03227-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03227-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Early decline in HBsAg levels during nucleos(t)ide-analog (NA) therapy predicts subsequent HBsAg loss, but stratification tools are limited. We assessed whether a novel baseline HBV biomarker-the HBsAg glycan-isomer (HBsAgGi)-predicts 12-month HBsAg decline.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We retrospectively analysed genotype C chronic hepatitis B patients who initiated entecavir, tenofovir-disoproxil-fumarate, or tenofovir-alafenamide and had serum available for HBsAgGi measurement. Early decliners were defined as those with ≥ 0.10 log10 IU/mL HBsAg reduction after 1 year. Baseline clinical and virological parameters were compared between decliners and non-decliners and within HBsAg < 3,000 and ≥ 3,000 IU/mL strata.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 201 screened individuals, 106 had samples for HBsAgGi testing. In this cohort, HBsAg levels continued to fall annually over 5 years in early decliners, whereas non-decliners showed almost no long-term HBsAg reduction. In univariate analyses, higher baseline HBsAg, HBV DNA, HBeAg-positivity, and HBcrAg were associated with 1-year HBsAg decline, whereas HBsAgGi was not; none remained significant in multivariable models. However, among patients with baseline HBsAg < 3,000 IU/mL, HBsAgGi alone differentiated decliners from non-decliners. After adjustment for baseline HBsAg and HBcrAg, lower HBsAgGi remained independently associated with ≥ 0.10 log10 IU/mL HBsAg decline at 1 year. In patients with baseline HBsAg ≥ 3,000 IU/mL, decliners had higher rates of HBeAg positivity and higher baseline HBsAg and HBcrAg. Traditional HBV markers were tightly correlated, whereas HBsAgGi showed only weak-to-modest correlations.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Baseline HBsAgGi adds prognostic value in patients with low HBsAg, identifying those more likely to achieve on-therapy HBsAg decline and potentially informing selection for intensified or combination HBV therapies.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13531837/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148284571","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomic characterization of a baculovirus isolate, Malacosoma neustria nucleopolyhedrovirus Eriogaster neogena isolate (ManeNPV-Er) from Mongolia.","authors":"Uranbileg Ganbold, Wenyi Jin, Byambasuren Mijidsuren, Hongbin Liang, Hongtuo Wang, Enkhjargal Bayanjargal, Qian Meng, Jihong Zhang, Qilian Qin, Huan Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s12985-026-03225-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s12985-026-03225-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Baculoviruses are highly diverse insect-specific DNA viruses that have coevolved with their lepidopteran hosts, often exhibiting high host specificity and geographic population structures. To investigate the genomic basis of host - associated divergence, we sequenced and analyzed the complete genome of a baculovirus isolated from symptomatic Eriogaster neogena larvae collected in Mongolia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The complete genome of this isolate, designated Malacosoma neustria nucleopolyhedrovirus Eriogaster neogena isolate (ManeNPV-Er), was sequenced and comparatively analyzed. Phylogenetic and pairwise K2P distance analyses based on lef8/lef9/polh were performed to evaluate its taxonomic relationship with other baculoviruses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Comparative genomic analysis revealed an overall nucleotide identity of 86.9% with Malacosoma neustria nucleopolyhedrovirus (ManeNPV-T2), which was isolated from a different host species (Malacosoma neustria) in Turkey. Despite their close taxonomic relationship, this low identity indicates substantial genomic divergence. Phylogenetic and pairwise K2P distance analyses based on lef8/lef9/polh confirmed their conspecific status. However, the corrected K2P distance suggests incipient divergence, which may require additional genomic and biological evidence to confirm. The significant genetic differentiation of ManeNPV-Er is potentially driven by the combined effects of adaptation to a distinct host and geographic isolation in a different region. Such divergence patterns are consistent with the parallel diversification commonly observed between baculoviruses and their lepidopteran hosts.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Collectively, our findings expand the current understanding of baculovirus genomic diversity and provide new insights into how the interplay of host shift and geographic separation influences viral speciation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23616,"journal":{"name":"Virology Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13520161/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148273163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}